1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a table and bench combination for children. More particularly, the present invention relates to a convertible table and bench combination for children.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Numerous innovations for food and beverage holder related devices have been provided in the prior art that will be described. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, however, they differ from the present invention.
A FIRST EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. Des. 341,521 to Norbury et al. teaches the ornamental design for a portable tray for tumblers and bowl.
A SECOND EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,070,795 to Redlin et al. teaches an apparatus mounted to a bottom surface of a table, wherein the apparatus includes a support plate and an elongate circuitous pivot leg mounting a support tray member at a forward terminal end of the pivot leg. The pivot leg includes a xe2x80x9cUxe2x80x9d shaped leg portion to complementarily received an adjoining table leg from a positioning of the pivot leg within an elongate recess of an associated positioning strut mounted to the adjoining table leg. The support tray includes a plurality of cup receiving apertures and may further include a cylindrical insulative sponge-like cylinder to receive a beverage container therewithin, as well as a freezable gel insert sleeve positionable within the cylinder to provide selective refrigeration of a beverage container mounted within the support tray structure.
A THIRD EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,285,991 to Carlson teaches a food and/or beverage holding system for mounting on a card table having a card table leg assembly. The system includes a food or beverage holder mounted radially to a base sized to separate the holder far enough from a hook extension, for sanitary reasons, the base being mounted radially from its other end to a table leg receptacle for providing vertical stability, and from the base or table leg receptacle, the hook extends axially upwardly therefrom for removable attachment to one ore more table leg lateral projections. The food and/or beverage holding system may be removably constructed for separating one or more major members from the remainder of the apparatus to enhance portability.
A FOURTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,454,537 to Meeker et al. teaches a cup holder that is provided to attach to a piece of furniture. The cup holder includes a base formed to include spaced-apart side-by-side cup receiving receptacles, a mounting fixture appended to the base, and spaced-apart furniture engaging clamps appended to the mounting fixture. The mounting fixture includes a V-shaped channel formed by a V-shaped side wall and a V-shaped flange which allows the cup holder to engage two sides of the piece of furniture (e.g., the corner of a table).
A FIFTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,535,682 to Aigeldinger teaches a utility table having a top and foldable legs. The top has openings. On the underside of the top, flexible strips extend across the respective openings. Each opening and strip form an open-sided pocket for drinking containers. The folding of the legs up against the top is accommodated by the flexible strips being gathered between the legs and the top.
It is apparent that numerous innovations for food and beverage holder related devices have been provided in the prior art that are adapted to be used. Furthermore, even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, however, they would not be suitable for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described.
ACCORDINGLY, AN OBJECT of the present invention is to provide a convertible table and bench combination for children that avoids the disadvantages of the prior art.
ANOTHER OBJECT of the present invention is to provide a convertible table and bench combination for children that is simple and inexpensive to manufacture.
STILL ANOTHER OBJECT of the present invention is to provide a convertible table and bench combination for children that is simple to use.
BRIEFLY STATED, YET ANOTHER OBJECT of the present invention is to provide a convertible table and bench combination for children that includes a table and a pair of benches. The table includes an apron, a pair of legs, and a table top. Each leg includes a foot that has two pair of throughbores. The table top rests invertibly in the apron and has pair of through cutouts for grasping by hands for facilitating inversion thereof, an uppermost surface that has plate recesses that replaceably hold plates therein for preventing the plates from being knocked over by the children and glass recesses that replaceably hold glasses therein for preventing the glasses from being knocked over by the children, and a lowermost surface that is completely flat so as to provide a work surface for the children when eating is over, the plates and the glasses are removed, and the table top is lifted and inverted. The pair of benches are interlockingly attached to the table by tongues that interlock in associated pairs of throughbores in the feet of the pair of legs for holding the pair of benches to the table even when the children seating in the seating areas of the pair of benches are squirming.
The novel features which are considered characteristic of the present invention are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of the specific embodiments when read and understood in connection with the accompanying drawing.